Luggage hardware



April 5, 1966 s. KOFFLER 3,244,467

LUGGAGE HARDWARE Filed Sept. 5, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN V EN TOR.

SOL KOFFLER 315 M M v gw ATT'YS April 5, 1966 S. KOFFLER LUGGAGE HARDWARE Filed Sept. 5, 1961 FIG.3

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR: 80 L K O FLE R ATT' Y 5 United States Patent 3,244,467 LUGGAGE HARDWARE Sol Koiller, 600 Blackstone Blvd, Providence, R1. Filed Sept. 5, 1961, Ser. No. 135,886 Claims. (Cl. 312-333) This invention, in general, relates to hardware for luggage or the like and, more particularly, relates to removable hanger supports for hangers in articles of luggage and to hooks mounted on said articles and on said hanger supports.

. There are many types, of luggage in which clothing is placed inthe luggage on hangers, which, in turn, are hooked over or attached to a supporting member on one of the interior end walls of the luggage. In some cases, the hanger hook is placed over a bar in the usual manner. In other cases, the hanger hooks of the luggage hangers are especially designed with parts which interlock on the hanger support of the luggage. This invention pertains to improvements in removablehanger support bars for articles of luggage and improvements in the mounting of said hanger support bars in an end wall of the luggage. In one of its specific details, the invention relates to the mounting ofa channel bracket in the wall of the luggage by'hardware'which also carries a pivotable supporting hook located on the outer wall of the luggage. This hook can be used tohang the luggage piece on a hook or rod and is especially adapted for luggage known in the trade as car cases.

lit is a primary object of this invention to provide novel hanger support hardware for luggage.

Another object of thetinvention is to provide a novel hanger support bar removably locked in a luggage piece so that the articles of clothing on hangers on the hanger support bar can be placed in or removed from the luggage as a single unit.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a hardware combination providing a removable hanger support .barand a hook on opposite sides of a luggage piece wall. l Still another object of the invention is to provide a removable hanger" support bar having a pivotable hook mounted thereon whereby the support bar and the articles of clothing hung thereon can be removed from the luggage "and hung as a unit in a closet.

These and other objects of the invention, which will be apparent to those familiar with the luggage art, are achievedby'the application of the principles of operation and construction set forth hereafter in the embodiment of the invention illustratedin the drawings, wherein: FIG. 1 is a section through a fragment of a piece of luggage showing the luggage hardware of the invention in side elevation; j FIG, 2 is a viewof a fragment of 'a piece of luggage showing the hardware of FIG. 1 in bottom plan view;

F IG.'3 is a section through a fragment of a luggage piece. showing the hardware of FIG. 1 in front plan view; "FIG. .4 is a section in side elevation through the hard- :ware on section 44 of FIG. 3; and

FIG; 5 is a perspective view of a spring clip piece for locking the hanger supporting bar in the supporting chan nel therefor.- Referring to the drawings, there is. shown a fragment of the end wall 1 of the rigid shell of a piece of luggage. The inside of the end wall 1 is covered with a piece of decorative padding 2. The entire luggage piece has not been shown 'in detail inasmuch as the invention is aplplicable" to any type of luggage for carrying articles of fclothing on hangers. 1 1 "-The hanger supporting device of the invention comprises an elongated plate 3 attached to the wall 1 by 3,244,467 Patented Apr. 5, 1966 Elongated plate 3 has return bent edges 6 along the opposite longitudinal sides of the plate, which return bends form opposing channels 7 on opposite sides of the Web portion 8 of the plate 3.

The plate 3 is adapted to receive and hold a hanger supporting piece 9 which is made from a bar bent to provide a transversely arched, elongated, hanger supporting side 10, rounded ends 11 and 12, flat upper elongated sides 13 and 14, which are coplanar and which are bent at at the middle of the hanger supporting member 9 to provide downwardly depending, flat, parallel legs 15 and 16.'

The rounded ends 11 and 12 have notches 17 in both sides thereof at the points where the rounded ends 11 and 12 merge with the upper flat sides 13 and 14, respectively. There are also notches 18 on opposite sides of the right angle bends between the fiat side 13 and leg 15 and also at flat side 14 and leg 16. The fiat upper sides 13 and 14 slide into the channel in the plate 3. The notches 17 and 18 in the opposite sides of the rounded ends 11 and 12 and the legs 15 and 16 accommodate the inwardly turned edges of the return bends 6 so that the hanger support bracket 9 may be slid into and out of the channel in the plate 3.

A rivet 19 extends across the space between the legs 15 and 16. The shank of the rivet 19 extends through and pivotally supports the legs 20 and 21 of a metal bar bent to form a rectangular, open frame 22. The side 23 of the open, rectangular frame 22 opposite the legs 20, 21, has an opening ther-ethrough, through which extends a shaft provided on the end of hanger 24. The end of the shaft on the hanger 24 is attached to a disc 25 to provide a pivotab-le support for the hanger 24 on the side 23 of the open frame 22. The hanger 24 is used when the hanger support device 9 is removed from the luggage piece with the articles of clothing thereon so that the entire unit can be hung on a hook or rod. This is a convenience provided for the traveler using luggage having the hardware of the invention.

When the hanger support device 9 is reinserted in the channels of the plate 3, the hanger 24 is pivoted to one side or the other of the hanger support device 9 about the axis provided by the rivet 19.

A hook 30 is mounted on the outer side of the wall 1 of the luggage piece. This hook may be used to hang the luggage piece in acloset or the like and is especially useful in luggage pieces known in the trade as car cases. The hook 30 has a shank 31 with opposite flat faces. The shank 31 extends into. a groove 33 extending transversely through the swivel head 32. The shank 31 is pivotally journalled in said groove on a pin 34 extending into said groove from one side of the swivel head 32.

The hook 31 is thus pivotable through an angle so that it may lie flat when not in use against the outer side of the luggage wall, or it may be positioned at right angles to the luggage wall when the hook is to be used. The hook is held in the flat and upstanding positions by the parts shown in FIG. 4.

The bottom 35 of the shank 31 and the four sides thereof are flat sides, preferably with slight rounds at their corners. A coil spring 37 seated in the bottom of a cylindrical well 38 extending longitudinally into the swivel head from the outer end thereof presses a plate 36 against the bottom wall or one of the side walls of the shank 31 to hold the hook in either the flat position or the vertical position, the latter being shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 Swivel head 32 is rotatably journalled in a cylindrical eyelet 39 which has an outer rounded flange 4t) pressed against the wall 1 about the hole in which the eyelet is mounted. The opposite side of the eyelet is bent into an annular flange 43 which presses against the washer 44 surrounding the hole in the fabric 2. r

The swivel 32 has a shoulder 41 which abuts against the flange 40. The cylindrical wall 42 of the swivel head 32 rotates in the eyelet 39. The bottom of the swivel 32 is a hollow rivet portion, the ends 45 of which are bent over a recessed aperture 46 in the plate 3. The bent-over end 45 of the swivel 32 has a loose enough fit so that the swivel head 32 will rotate with respect to the plate 3.

The hanger support piece 9 is locked in place when it is in assembledrelationship in the plate 3 by a spring metal lock member 47. This member is a single metal plate made up of a flat plate portion 43 having holes 49 and 50 through which extend the swivel head 32 and one of the rivets 4, respectively, whereby the spring metal lock member is securely mounted between the hanger support piece 9 and the padded fabric covering 2. The forward end 51 of the lock member is bent slightly downwardly. This portion has an opening 52 therein which has two shoulders 53 positioned directly ahead of the channels 7 in the plate 3. As the bars 14 and 13 are slid into the channel 7 of the plate 3, the forward end 51 of the spring metal locking member is pressed upwardly. When the hanger support piece 9 is fully inserted in the plate 3, the forward end 51 springs downwardly so that the shoulders 53 are positioned in front of the channels 7. These shoulders 53 stop the removal of the hanger supporting piece 9 in plate 3 by abutting against the shoulders 55 of the groove 17 in the upper plate 13. When, however, the forward end 51 is pressed upwardly by hand, the hanger support piece 9 can be removed. The hanger support piece is precluded against movement beyond the rearward end of the plate 3 by small metal tabs 54 bent inwardly across the rear opening of the channels 7.

It will be seen from the foregoing escription of the invention and the specific illustrative embodiment thereof that there is provided a novel combination of hardware pieces for articles of luggage and the like, which hardware has novel features, advantages and characteristics for accomplishing the intended objectives of the invention,

The invention is hereby claimed as follows:

1. In an article of luggage, a plate mounted on the inner side of a wall of the article of luggage, means on said plate for removably holding a hanger support, a hook on the outer side of said wall of the article of luggage, a cylindrical swivel head rotatably mounted in and extending through said wall, the shank of said hook being pivotally mounted in said swivel head, one end of said swivel head projecting beyond said inner side of said wall, and means on said end of said swivel head coacting with said plate for mounting said swivel head and said plate on said wall and providing swivel movement of said swivel head and hook with respect to said wall and plate.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said hook is pivotally mounted on a pin extending across a slot in the opposite end of said swivel head.

3. An article of luggage comprising a luggage shell, a plate having opposing side channels mounted on the inner side of a wall of said shell, a removable hanger support slidably mounted in said channels of said plate, one end of said channels being open, and a spring plate having shoulder means normally positioned across said open ends to block accidental sliding of said removable hanger support out of said channels.

4. The combination of claim 4 wherein said hanger support comprises a lower hanger supporting bar and an upper flat bar having its opposite sides slidably seated in said channels.

5. A hanger support comprising a bar bent into substantially longitudinally flat, parallel upper and lower segments connected by end segments, said upper bar comprising two aligned flat bar segments bent into two parallel, closely juxtapositioned, downwardly depending legs, and a hook pivotally mounted with its pivot axis between said legs.

6. The combination of claim 5 wherein said hook comprises a bracket pivotally mounted with its pivot axis between said legs, and a swivel connection between the shank of said hook and said bracket providing a swivel mounting of said hook on said bracket.

7. The combination of claim 5 wherein said hook comprises a bracket pivotally mounted with its pivot axis between said legs, a wall parallel to said pivot axis on said bracket, a pin extending axially from the end of the shank of said hook, said pin being pivotally mounted in said wall, and means holding said pin and the shank of said hook on said wall for swivel movement of said hook relative to said wall.

8. The combination of claim 5' wherein said hook comprises a bracket pivotally mounted with its pivot axis between said legs, a wall parallel to said pivot axis on said bracket, a pin extending axially from the end of the shank of said hook, said pin being pivotally mounted in said wall, a shoulder formed by the end of said shank and bearing against one side of said wall, and a disc secured to said pin and bearing against the opposite side of said wall to pivotally mount said hook on said wall.

9. An article of luggage comprising a luggage shell, a plate having opposing side channels mounted on the inner side of a wall of said shell, a removable hanger support including a lower hanger supporting bar and an upper flat bar having its opposite longitudinal edges slidably seated in said channels, said upper bar further comprising two aligned fiat bars bent into two parallel, closely juxtapositioned, downwardly depending legs, a hook pivotally mounted with its pivot axis between said legs, one end of said channels being open, and a spring plate having shoulder means normally positioned across said open ends to block accidental sliding of said removable hanger support out of said channels.

Iii. An article of luggage comprising a luggage shell, a plate mounted on the inner side of a wall of said shell, a hanger support member, means on said plate coacting' with said member and releasably holding said member on said plate, a swivel head extending through and rotatable in said wall, means on one end of said swivel head and on said plate coacting to join said swivel head and said plate for swivel movement of said head relative to said plate, and a hook mounted on the other end of said head.

11. In a garment bag having a reinforced end wall portion, a post turnably mounted on said end wall portion, a hook pivotally carried by said post and movable from an inoperative position against said bag end wall portion to an operative position perpendicular to the plane of said end wall portion, and cooperating means on the hook and post to releasably retain the hook in an adjusted perpendicular position.

12. In a garment bag having a reinforced end wall portion, a plate underlying and reinforcing said end wall portion, a post turnably mounted on said plate and projecting through said end wall portion, a hook pivotally carried by an outer portion of said post and movable from an inoperative position against said bag end wall portion to an operative position perpendicular to the plane of said end wall portion, and cooperating means,on the hook and post to releasably retain the hook in an adjusted perpendicular position. i

13. In combination with a garment bag having an end wall, a swivel head turnably mounted on said end wall, a transverse slot extending through one end of said swivel head, a hook having its shank pivotally mounted in said slot, said shank having a fiat bottom and a flat side wall in said transverse slot, 2. plate in said swivel head below said shank, and means resiliently urging said plate against said shank to press against one of said flat bottom and said flat side wall to hold said hook in either an upright or flat position with respect to said end wall.

14. In a garment bag, a head mounted on a wall of said garment bag, said head having a transverse slot in an end thereof, a pin extending transversely through said slot, a hook having its base in said slot and pivotally supported on said pin, a flat bottom wall and at least one fiat side wall on the base of said hook, a movable plate in said head, and means resiliently urging said plate against said base to press said plate against one of said flat bottom and said flat side wall to hold said hook in either an upright or fiat position with respect to the Wall of said garment bag.

15. A pivotable hook structure comprising a head with a transverse slot in an end thereof, a hook having its shank pivotally mounted in said slot, said shank having a flat bottom and a flat side wall in said transverse slot, a member having a fiat surface in said swivel head below said shank, and means resiliently urging said flat surface of said member against said shank to press against one of said flat bottom and said flat side wall to hold said hook in either an upright or lateral position With respect to said head.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS Launder 312-345 X Taudvin 248-341 X McKeegan 248-339 Hannon 292-204 Lee 312-321 Schroeder 248-214 Cuneo 292-204 Canfield 248-339 Kohl 312-3 X Corvwin 312-3 Schwartzman 312-3 Hudson 248-341 X Braverrnan 206-7 X Kotkins 312-321 Tygh 248-341 Cohen 206-7 X Great Britain.

CLAUDE A. LE ROY, Primary Examiner.

SAMUEL B. ROTHBERG, FRANK B. SHERRY,

Examiners. 

1. IN AN ARTICLE OF LUGGAGE, A PLATE MOUNTED ON THE INNER SIDE OF A WALL OF THE ARTICLE OF LUGGAGE, MEANS ON SAID PLATE FOR REMOVABLY HOLDING A HANGER SUPPORT, A HOOK ON THE OUTER SIDE OF SAID WALL OF THE ARTICLE OF LUGGAGE, A CYLINDRICAL SWIVEL HEAD ROTATABLY MOUNTED IN AND EXTENDING THROUGH SAID WALL, THE SHANK OF SAID HOOK BEING PIVOTIALLY MOUNTED IN SAID SWIVEL HEAD, ON END OF SAID SWIVEL HEAD PROJECTING BEYOND SAID INNER SIDE OF SAID WALL, AND MEANS ON SAID END OF SAID SWIVEL HEAD COACTING WITH SAID PLATE FOR MOUNTING SAID SWIVEL HEAD AND SAID PLATE ON SAID WALL AND PROVIDING SWIVEL MOVEMENT OF SAID SWIVEL HEAD AND HOOK WITH RESPECT TO SAID WALL AND PLATE. 